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Energy transfer within Vehicle Restraint Systems -Maker Challenge: Creative Crash Test Cars

Description: 

In this unit, students will learn about how energy is transferred during a car accident. The students will then have to design a vehicle restraint system to protect a  “passenger” in a collision. Students will need to research existing restraint systems. Students will need to design a restraint system of their own in small groups. Students will need to test their prototypes using a ramp and a wall to collide with.

Learning Targets: 
Compile a list of safety features found on vehicles.
Expand on and improve upon this list with specific examples from research
come up with a vehicle safety design feature for their model cars that is not currently in use, or one that works better than those currently in use.
examine the provided building materials and note similarities, such as craft sticks being similar to metal framing bars, and foam/felt being similar to the insulation and padding incorporated into modern vehicles.
build and do small tests against a wall so they can see how the impact affects the materials.
Link: 
Energy transfer within Vehicle Restraint Systems -Maker Challenge: Creative Crash Test Cars
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ePYBr0kiy-ixc_IYuqUj58rPSB4eNz22hPqIVIsgVtw/edit
AttachmentSize
PDF icon Newtonk-BlendedLearning1.pdf125.62 KB
Author: 
newtonk
Content Area: 
Science
Engineering and Technology
Language: 
English
Resource Type: 
Unit
Licensing: 
Creative Commons Licence
Grade: 
4
Next Generation and Michigan Science

How are the standards/objectives assessed?

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Student prerequisite skills and knowledge

The students should have a basic knowledge of the following:

Energy: The ability to do work.

Forces: A push or pull that can make an object move, stop moving, or change directions.

Potential Energy: Energy that is stored; energy that matter has because of its position.

Kinetic Energy: Energy that an object has because of its motion.

How is the concept or procedure explained or demonstrated?

Demonstration of egg vehicles in a collision:

Assemble one egg vehicle. Acquire a ramp, raw egg, and small plastic bag (to contain the broken egg).  Run the egg down the ramp into a wall or other hard surface. Please film the demonstration in slow motion and post to your online class.

Watch the Buckle Up PSA https://goo.gl/JyJ6ws

Activities to complete:

As a class, compile a list of safety features found on current vehicles. If students get stumped suggest a few examples to get the ideas flowing, such as roll cages, seat belts, airbags, etc. upon which students can expand on and improve.

 

Direct students to research restraint systems using Epic online.

Introduce the project constraints: To come up with a vehicle safety design feature for their small-size model cars that is not currently in use, or one that works better than those currently in use. A successful design is one that protects the “passenger egg” and is durable.

Prompt students to use this information as a jumping off point to examine the provided building materials and note similarities, such as craft sticks being similar to metal framing bars, and foam/felt is similar to the insulation and padding incorporated into modern vehicles.

  1. Students will work in small groups. First, have them individually brainstorm and sketch a few ideas for what they want to build on top of the model car base, with the goal to update or come up with a new passenger compartment so the passenger survives a front-end crash with no injuries and minimal car damage.

  2. Teams decide on a design solution to prototype and test.

  3. Give teams plenty of time to build and do small tests against a wall so they can see how the impact affects the materials.

  4. Teams document the materials they use and sketch their final designs.

  5. Teams build their prototypes.

  6. Teams test their prototypes. They video record the tests using SloPro and post a video of their trials to our Seesaw class.

  7. Teams explain their designs to the class using a Popplet presentation including what was successful and what was not after reviewing test data and feedback from the class.

What concepts or procedures are being explained or demonstrated in this lesson object?

The students will be taught the following concepts:

Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion: (The students will learn this on a very basic level)

1. Every object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless compelled to change its state by the action of an external force.

2. The velocity of an object changes when it is subjected to an external force.

3. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Collision: When two objects collide or bump into each other, causing an exchange or transformation of energy.

Elastic Collisions: A collision with no loss of kinetic energy.

Inelastic Collisions: A collision in which part of the kinetic energy is changed into another form of energy.

Momentum: The energy gained by a moving object.

Restraint System: A measure or condition that keeps someone or something under control or within limits.

Speed: The rate at which an object moves or operates. Speed can be thought of as the amount of time it takes to complete a task.

What was your experience, both successes and challenges, using this lesson object with your students?

In my experience, the students really love this unit. They have a lot of fun learning about physical science and engineering. I generally find that the students are pretty serious about their designs, they are good about testing their designs and come up with some brilliant ideas. There are always a few students who get a little silly during testing, just remind them that real engineers have to test their designs successfully hundreds of times before anything gets released to the public. Make sure you frame this unit as an engineering unit. Encourage the students to approach the design problem using their science skillset.